I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for distributing heated air throughout a room in a building more particularly to a device adapted to be mounted in a frame of a suspended ceiling.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Stratification of air masses frequently occurs in the rooms of a building. Typically, masses of hot air are trapped beneath the ceiling in an upper portion of a room while cooler air masses occupy a lower portion of the room. In order to improve the efficiency of the heating system of the building, it is advantageous to direct the hot air masses from the top of the room to the lower portion of the room in order to equalize the heat gradient throughout the room. In buildings which have high ceilings, a considerable amount of heated air must be introduced into lower portions of the room to replace the heated air which has risen in order to maintain a given temperature in the lower portion of the room.
It is known in the art to suspend a fan downwardly from the ceiling of a room to direct warm air from the ceiling towards the floor of the room. However, the air so directed diffuses rapidly as it moves downwardly from the blades of the ceiling fan and travels downwardly only a short distance. Additionally, such fans occupy space within the room, are unattractive, and produce a substantial amount of noise.
Air circulating devices are also known in the art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,342 to Hughes. Hughes utilizes a tubular, elongated housing extending vertically between a floor and a ceiling of a room. A fan is mounted within the housing to draw air through an intake located at a base of the housing and discharges it through the top of the housing near the ceiling. This device, however, occupies a substantial amount of space within the room and is exposed to view.
A combination heating and ventilation unit which may be mounted in a ceiling or wall of a room disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,320,406 to Wainwright is also known. Wainwright discloses a combination heating and ventilating unit which utilizes a fan mounted within a housing to direct air for a heating coil outwardly into the room. However, the heating coil requires additional energy and the heated air diffuses rapidly throughout the room after the heated air leaves the heating and ventilating unit.